


Water 水

by Acadialights



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, I Wrote This Two Years Ago, I don't even remember what happens myself, M/M, haru is like magical, why did i think this was a good idea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-12 20:29:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7947955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acadialights/pseuds/Acadialights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru is the prince of a wandering desert tribe that ends up falling on hard times due to a lack of water. After what remains of his tribe is captured he is brought before the king of a nearby city.  (I know the short chapters are a pain I'll fix them eventually)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Haru is Probably OOC

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I first wrote this in 10th grade science class out of boredom so it's been 2 years. I figured I'd type it up and post it because why not.  
> Although I have work up on other sites I've never actually posted anything to AO3 before so forgive me if my formatting and such is a little awkward.  
> Also I wrote the story information out before I actually typed it up so I might have to fix a bunch of stuff after posting it. oops.

 

It was a week ago.

A week ago they came upon us. We were entirely defenseless, with only a single skin of water remaining. Granted, less than a dozen of us remained, but such an amount of water still wouldn't have lasted a day.

It was a week ago, and yet it feels like it’s been so much longer.

I was sitting there in the dark. The prince of a once great tribe reduced to nothing.Three days ago, when they split us all up, I had know ten of my men remained. Now I can confirm the safety of only one. Nagisa sat there in the dark with me, his small frame curled up in one corner. The way he was curled in on himself was absolutely heartbreaking, but I had no comfort to offer him. For an hour or so we had kept a heavy silence.

A loud clang tore me from my thoughts as the door to the small cell swung open. It opened to reveal a man with dark hair and broad shoulders. His features were sharp, drawn into a grimace of displeasure. Whether it was at us, or the situation I could not say.

“Up! Both of you!” He insisted, looking to our crumpled forms expectantly.

I got to my feet and reached down to help nagisa up, despite how unsteady my own feet were. The man turned without checking if we were following him, as we shuffled along behind him. I dared not attempt anything as arrogant as escape. Without knowing the position this man held, whether it be a proper guard or a simple sellsword, it was too risky. His build spoke clearly of too many hours spent with weapons. Had I been in a better condition, it is likely I would have him sprawled on the floor beneath me already. Unfortunately the meager bowl of water we had been given, and complete lack of food, weakened our bodies considerably. 

Upon reaching the end of the hall we took a sharp turn left. Before us lay a spacious and extravagant room, the doors to which hung open. At the head of the room, amid a heap of luxurious cushions and blankets, sat another man. My eyes soaked in his appearance as we approached him. He had fairly long hair the colour of a light wine and the eyes to match. Brilliant strands of it fell down his face and I took a moment to ponder whether it ever shifted enough to obscure his vision. His piercing gaze met mine as we came to a stop a few steps from where he sat. A smirk revealed a mouth full of razors. As he moved to stand the silk robes that hung off his body shifted, and the flash of gold jewelry sparkled in several places.

After a stern command to stay where we were the man guarding us moved to the side. Even if I had wanted to move, run and flee my responsibilities, I wouldn't have been able to under those scarlet eyes. It was as if they could see right through me, would know that I planned to escape even before I moved. My face was kept carefully void of emotion. My heart thick with a fear that any expression of pain would only invite more.

“Who are you? From where have you come?” His voice rang throughout the room. After waiting a second of the echoes to fade I raised my face slightly and spoke.

“My name is Haruka of the Iwatobi tribe. I demand that you release my tribe at once.” My words were met with a beat of silence. From where I stood I could see the man’s eyes sparkled in amusement before his mouth fell open and his eyes shut. His laughter rang throughout the room, lighter than I had heard in years. It was the laugh of a man who never had to fear for his life. 

“Who are you to demand such a thing? Surely, Haruka, you are in no such position. You claim the title of Iwatobi, willingly mixing yourself in with fairy tales.” I had to hold back a wince at the use of my full name. The guard who led us here was glaring on my left, obviously displeased at my audacity.

“I am the head of the Nanase family and heir to the throne. Dare you question the wandering Iwatobi tribe?”

 


	2. In Which I Try To Avoid Plot Holes

The second I mentioned my family name his eyes widened. I was fully aware that the Iwatobi head family had always been rumored to hold magic of one sort or another. It was what made our tribe sound like an old wive’s tale. Magic was the only explanation many a person could think up as to why we as a tribe seemed capable of finding water anywhere. They believed we could summon it and like a dog it would answer our call. This, of course, was not true in the slightest. Regardless, it was a very convenient mistruth with no one outside the tribe aware of the unintentional deceit. As the last remaining member of the Nanase family, the entire story currently lay centered around me.

  
The man before me straightened to his full height. As our eyes met I kept my own thoughts carefully guarded.

  
“How can you prove that you are in fact who you claim to be?” These words were a clear challenge. One he evidently assumed me unable to complete. I rose to the challenge. Yet as I stepped forward to reply my eye caught movement as all his muscles visibly tightened. The gaze that was once piecing lifted in less than a second. It was replaced by a look composed of both pain and panic. The expression only lasted a moment before it was gone, replaced by a mask as if it had never happened. The whole event only made my new plan seem more promising.

  
“You ask me to prove my status to you and yet I am not even aware of your own standing. How can I know you are not simply a servant dressed in robes of silk?” I replied, my voice carefully void of emotion. To slip too far into a tone of mocking would be to dig my own grave. Still, I had pride as a prince.

  
“My name is Rin Matsuoka,” he started off, sounding a bit shaken, “I am the king of this city.”  
-  
That was enough to give me pause. I was under the impression that he was simply an advisor or noble of one sort or another. Any worry that he may try to deceive me in this flew from my mind swiftly. My name carried enough weight that no one save for the king himself would dare attempt such a blatant mistruth. I could feel the man, or rather the king, observing me carefully, obviously in the hope of getting a reaction of some sort. If he was truly determined to wait for a reaction our audience might as well consider having a nap, as I was capable of keeping a carefully blank expression for days at a time. It was more likely for me to reveal something sleeping than aware.

  
The minutes of silent examination grew long. We stood there nearly nose to nose for longer than I cared to know. Nagisa shifted his weight but continued to keep his silence. Eventually, the king gave up the fruitless effort.  
“I have no reason to distrust you,” he said evenly, “but also no reason to believe you. Until evidence surfaces proving either case neither you, nor your men, shall be allowed to leave. Additionally, I request you report nightly, presenting any proof you can give me to prove your innocence.”

  
Blinking, I gave him a rather blank look for a few moments while I reviewed all that had been said.

  
“There is yet one thing I would like to ask, what exactly do you suspect me of?” His response was swift.

  
“Why, intent of treason, of course,” the man raised his voice as he continued, “guards! Search all the men brought in three days ago, then if you will, proceed to show them the guest rooms.”

  
As a group of guards began to lead me out I caught one last command, “Sousuke, please stay behind.” And at this the man that had brought me here spun around, heading back towards the king. I found it intriguing that the king had sent someone he was personally acquainted with to retrieve us. For one reason or another he considered us important enough that the job didn’t simply fall on whatever unfortunate guard happened to be around at the time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm too lazy to type this up all at once. Shhhhhh I blame school I have a semester of death right now... I made the spacing stupid didn't I. Darn.


End file.
